10 Things Every Educator Should Know About Assistive Technology: What I Learned from My First Three Years of Teaching
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Thursday, October 18, 2007 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Are you new to the field of assistive technology? Do you feel overwhelmed? Are you looking for some helpful resources to assist you in educating students with disabilities? If so, this session is for you! Come join a special education teacher as she shares some of the secrets she has learned in her first three years of teaching. Together, participants will focus on federal laws related to education and AT, the process of obtaining AT, funding AT, finding AT assistance and information, and a look at AT tools in the content areas of language arts, math, communication, and computers. The session will be full of sharing, handouts, resources, and fun!
Sarah Douglas, Special Education Teacher, Flagstaff Unified School District, Flagstaff, AZ .
This website provides information for individuals with learning disabilities and AT. The website has information in the areas of reading, math, writing, and social skills, as well as resources.
This is the website for the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program. The site contains information about AT in the areas of training, assessment, education, employment, computers, recreation, independent living, and funding.
This website provides information on the latest AT for individuals with disabilities. It gives information on conferences, allows for individuals to request product searches, and provides a forum to ask AT related questions to other individuals.
This website focuses on AT solutions for individuals with visual impairments. The website provides information on training, assessments, manufacturer of AT equipment, textbooks, and web accessibility.
This website provides various information about the AT process, laws, and resources. The information is especially geared toward AT users and their families.
This website provides information about various AT equipment for people with disabilities. The site is organized into topics and provides manufacturer information for the consumer to locate the items presented. In addition the site has a classified section to help consumers find and sell used AT and rehabilitation equipment. The site also lists additional AT resources that may be of use to those with disabilities and those who work with individuals with disabilities.
This is the Ablenet vendor site. This vendor sells various AT devices and equipment for education, leisure, play, motor skills, daily living, and social skills.
This is the Educational Resources vendor site. This vendor sells AT devices and equipment in the areas of hardware, software, and supplemental learning materials.
This website focuses on individuals with learning disabilities. Some information is specific to AT for individuals with math learning disabilities. The website features articles, chat section, Q & A section, and products.
This website is for all individuals with disabilities and math struggles. The site compares products on the market in different areas of math. The comparisons are very thorough and a great resource for any educator with AT needs for a student in the area of math.
This website has a lot of information in the area of math AT tools for individuals with various disabilities that affect learning math. This website has a search for different AT tools for math and other areas, it also has a search for articles, books, and videos on different disability subjects and also provides helpful information for those who are trying to acquire AT products.
This website features low tech AT solutions for individuals with disabilities in the area of math. Many of the solutions are either inexpensive or already available to educators.
This website features various areas of AT that would help individuals with learning disabilities. There is a lot of information that would help in the area of math, but there is also information for language arts.
This website is focused to students learning math that may need extra practice or tutoring help. The math level ranges from basic math facts all the way to calculus and beyond. This website would be a great one for any teacher, parent, or student who needs assistance in math.
This site has games, lessons tied to Cyberchase episodes shown PBS, information about when episodes air in your area and various quests students can do on the website.
This website focuses on AT math solutions for individuals with visual impairments. The website has various needs listed with possible solutions, product prices, product information, and manufacturer contact information.
This website is put on by Landmark College Institute for Research and Training. The website contains information about using AT for reading and writing. For reading information is provided about teaching strategies, comprehension, decoding, and text readers. For writing information is provided about the writing process, technology, word prediction, software for organizing ideas, spell checkers, generating ideas, and word processing.
This website provides an article about AT and writing. It includes various ideas and AT tools that can be used for individuals with disabilities that struggle with writing.
This is the website for the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Centers. This website provides AAC information in the areas, of early intervention, vendors, intervention, literacy, severe disabilities, vocabulary, etc.
This website provides free links to freeware and shareware and focuses on computer AT solutions, and AAC devices. There are also books, other AT products for sale, and handouts from various conferences that you can download. The site also lists vendors that sell AT products, but again the focus is primarily on AAC and computer programs.
This is the Microsoft computer accessibility webpage. This site provides information about making your computer more accessible using tools available through Microsoft programs.
This is the Apple computer website for computer accessibility. The site provides information about making your Apple computer more accessible using Apple tools available in their programs.
USEFUL WEBSITES FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
AT information - multiple areas
http://gatfl.org/ldguide/default.htm
- This website provides information for individuals with learning disabilities and AT. The website has information in the areas of reading, math, writing, and social skills, as well as resources.
http://atto.buffalo.edu/registered/ATBasics.php- This website has a variety of information about AT. It has information specific to reading, writing, math, adapting computers, and foundations of AT.
http://www.sc.edu/scatp/index.htm- This is the website for the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program. The site contains information about AT in the areas of training, assessment, education, employment, computers, recreation, independent living, and funding.
http://www.rehabtool.com- This website provides information on the latest AT for individuals with disabilities. It gives information on conferences, allows for individuals to request product searches, and provides a forum to ask AT related questions to other individuals.
http://www.schwablearning.org/resources.aspx?g=4&s=3- This website provides various articles about AT and children with disabilities. It focuses on children with learning disabilities.
http://www.tsbvi.edu/technology/index.htm- This website focuses on AT solutions for individuals with visual impairments. The website provides information on training, assessments, manufacturer of AT equipment, textbooks, and web accessibility.
http://www.fctd.info/- This website provides various information about the AT process, laws, and resources. The information is especially geared toward AT users and their families.
http://www.abledata.com- This website provides information about various AT equipment for people with disabilities. The site is organized into topics and provides manufacturer information for the consumer to locate the items presented. In addition the site has a classified section to help consumers find and sell used AT and rehabilitation equipment. The site also lists additional AT resources that may be of use to those with disabilities and those who work with individuals with disabilities.
http://www.ucp.org/ucp_channeldoc.cfm/1/12/69/69-69/1027- This website provides a list of various AT tools that can be used to help assist those with disabilities in a variety of learning areas.
Articles/Journalshttp://jset.unlv.edu/shared/volsmenu.html
- This website is for the Journal of Special Education Technology. It provides various articles on AT issues and special education.
http://www.ataccess.org/rresources/CARTbiblio.html- This website has a list of various books, journals, videos, catalogs, and pamphlets available to the public about various AT topics.
http://www.axistive.com/202/at-basics.html- This website provides articles about various AT devices ad tools and how they work.
Vendorshttp://www.ablenetinc.com
- This is the Ablenet vendor site. This vendor sells various AT devices and equipment for education, leisure, play, motor skills, daily living, and social skills.
http://enablingdevices.com/home.aspx- This is the Enabling Device vendor site. This vendor sells AT devices and equipment in a wide variety of areas.
http://www.communicationaids.com/products.htm- This is the Crestwood Company vendor site. This vendor sells AT devices and equipment in a wide variety of areas.
http://www.donjohnston.com/- This is the Don Johnston Development, Inc. vendor site. This vendor sells AT devices and equipment in a wide variety of areas.
http://www.enablemart.com/default.aspx?store=10- This is the Enable mart vendor site. This vendor sells AT devices and equipment in a wide variety of areas.
http://www.edresources.com- This is the Educational Resources vendor site. This vendor sells AT devices and equipment in the areas of hardware, software, and supplemental learning materials.
http://www.intellitools.com- This is the IntelliTools vendor site. This vendor sells AT computer software for educational use.
http://www.laureatelearning.net/professionals602- This is the Laureate Learning Systems vendor site. This vendor sells AT computer software.
http://www.mayer-johnson.com- This is the Mayer-Johnson vendor site. This vendor sells Boardmaker, AAC products, and educational/interactive products.
http://www.tashinc.com/catalog/index.html- This is the Tash, Inc vendor site. This vendor sells switches, computer access equipment, and communication AT equipment.
Mathematicshttp://www.ldonline.org/indepth/math
- This website focuses on individuals with learning disabilities. Some information is specific to AT for individuals with math learning disabilities. The website features articles, chat section, Q & A section, and products.
http://www.citeducation.org/mathmatrix- This website is for all individuals with disabilities and math struggles. The site compares products on the market in different areas of math. The comparisons are very thorough and a great resource for any educator with AT needs for a student in the area of math.
http://www.schwablearning.org- This website has a lot of information in the area of math AT tools for individuals with various disabilities that affect learning math. This website has a search for different AT tools for math and other areas, it also has a search for articles, books, and videos on different disability subjects and also provides helpful information for those who are trying to acquire AT products.
http://atto.buffalo.edu/registered/ATBasics/Populations/LowTech/math.php- This website features low tech AT solutions for individuals with disabilities in the area of math. Many of the solutions are either inexpensive or already available to educators.
http://www.sc.edu/scatp/ld.htm- This website features various areas of AT that would help individuals with learning disabilities. There is a lot of information that would help in the area of math, but there is also information for language arts.
http://www.bridge-rayn.org/assistive%20technology- This website features a listing of websites in the area of AT and math. The websites are organized by topic and the list is long and very inclusive.
http://www.math.com- This website is focused to students learning math that may need extra practice or tutoring help. The math level ranges from basic math facts all the way to calculus and beyond. This website would be a great one for any teacher, parent, or student who needs assistance in math.
http://www.funbrain.com/brain/MathBrain/MathBrain.html- This website provides arcade like games that help individuals practice math facts from first grade level to eighth grade level.
http://pbskids.org/cyberchase- This site has games, lessons tied to Cyberchase episodes shown PBS, information about when episodes air in your area and various quests students can do on the website.
http://www.tsbvi.edu/math/calculators.htm- This website focuses on AT math solutions for individuals with visual impairments. The website has various needs listed with possible solutions, product prices, product information, and manufacturer contact information.
Language Artshttp://www.landmarkcollege.org/institute/assistive_technology
- This website is put on by Landmark College Institute for Research and Training. The website contains information about using AT for reading and writing. For reading information is provided about teaching strategies, comprehension, decoding, and text readers. For writing information is provided about the writing process, technology, word prediction, software for organizing ideas, spell checkers, generating ideas, and word processing.
http://www.aacintervention.com/6traits.doc- This website provides information about writing and assistive technology using the 6 traits of writing format.
http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/assistive.htm- This website provides an article about AT and writing. It includes various ideas and AT tools that can be used for individuals with disabilities that struggle with writing.
AAChttp://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/Augmentative-and-Alternative
- This site provides information about AAC including the evaluation process, therapy, etc.
http://www.prentrom.com- This is a vendor site for Prentke Romich, a company that produces primarily AAC products.
http://www.uthearingandspeech.org/AAC.htm- This website provides information about AAC and AAC products.
http://aac.unl.edu- This is the website for the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Centers. This website provides AAC information in the areas, of early intervention, vendors, intervention, literacy, severe disabilities, vocabulary, etc.
AT Freeware/Sharewarehttp://www.lburkhart.com
- This website provides free links to freeware and shareware and focuses on computer AT solutions, and AAC devices. There are also books, other AT products for sale, and handouts from various conferences that you can download. The site also lists vendors that sell AT products, but again the focus is primarily on AAC and computer programs.
http://www.arcess.com/demo2.cfm- This website provides free switch games that can be downloaded.
http://www.windows-shareware.com/games/intellitools.html- This website provides various links to freeware and shareware including shareware for the intellitools software program.
http://fritschi.home.mindspring.com/share2.html- This website provides freeware and shareware links for AT software downloads.
AT & Computershttp://abilityhub.com/index.htm
- This website provides various information and product descriptions about AT and computer access.
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/windowsxp/default.aspx- This is the Microsoft computer accessibility webpage. This site provides information about making your computer more accessible using tools available through Microsoft programs.
http://www.apple.com/education/accessibility